For Katie and her wife, Otis has been the perfect distraction from the stress of their demanding hospital jobs

We bought our cockapoo, Otis, home in October 2020. My wife and I both work in hospitals – she’s a doctor and I’m a hospital manager. Our jobs are stressful, and they’ve been made even more stressful by COVID, but every single day Otis has made us laugh, filled our house with love and kept us entertained with his funny little personality.

We simply can’t imagine our life without him

His favourite place to be is up on our shoulders – he would spend all day up there if he could. We think perhaps he is a cockatoo not a cockapoo.

He is such a gorgeous boy, he has us wrapped around his little paw and we simply can’t imagine our life without him. He loves everyone and is never happier than when there is a house full of people to give him fuss and attention.

No matter what life throws at them, Carol and her dog Bea know that they can get through it together.

Me and my best friend Bea have supported, and in some ways saved, each other in the four years since we met at a local rehoming centre. Bea came to me after being picked up on a motorway, having been hit by a vehicle. After six months of rehabilitation, which saw her learn to use her leg again after losing around 4cm of bone, she was on the road to recovery.

Bea gave me purpose to continue

It was during this time that a life-changing event happened in my life – one that brought me great loss and grieving. If it wasn’t for the love of my girl Bea, I would have struggled to carry on, but to know that she was there and needed my help, gave me purpose to continue. I saved her, so in turn she saved me. I couldn’t ask for a more loyal and loving companion.

Willow’s always looking for attention, whether that’s from Alexa and her partner or simply strangers in the street

Willow is a super positive influence in our lives. As you can imagine, we don’t get the best of weather in the North West but every day she looks at us as if to say, ‘Come on paw-rents, take me out, take me out!’ This particularly helps as we both work from home, so getting out the house for three walks a day is a must.

When we’re out, she thinks that every human wants to say hello and she has a special commando move of crawling up to them and sitting right at their feet with her head up, asking to be petted. It’s not often people can resist!

She loves a good pose for attention

She is very independent and likes to be defiant at times with a look of ‘I know what you’re saying but not today, mum.’ Plus, you’ll rarely see her without her favourite ball in her mouth, even if she’s sleeping.

She knows the name ‘daddy’ and if we ask ‘Where’s daddy?’, she’ll always jump on his lap and stand right over him so he has no choice but to pet her. We like to do this just to wind him up!

Her favourite snacks are natural treats and cheese. She won’t do anything at training unless cheese is involved, and that also includes fetching the ball. She’s currently scared of water and will do her best to avoid puddles.

She’s also a bit of an Instagrammer and loves a good pose for attention! I can honestly say Willow has really helped with my mental health by giving me a focus and a reason to get up and out. She even joins us on runs! She’s certainly made us a lot healthier and she’s the best furfriend I could ask for.

Yvonne was at a low point, but the moment Whiskey Sox bounded into her life, things changed for the better.

I was off work after being diagnosed with Anxiety and Depression and had been thinking about getting a dog for a while. We decided it would provide me with a focus, and since I would be at home, I’d have the time to help with the house training.

My husband, sister in law and I went to the breeders. She had a room of six-week-old puppies. As we talked, her 'house' dogs and a three-month-old pup wandered into the room. She was the runt of the previous litter, and the breeder had kept her back to build her up, but the arrival of the new puppies meant no one wanted her. Well, I did!

You couldn’t get a playing card between us

We took her home and named her Whiskey. From the very first day she was 'my' dog. She slept next to me, snuggled with me on the sofa (you couldn't get a playing card between us) and followed me everywhere.

I have since returned to work, but she is still my security blanket, my treasure and my dog. When I’m at work she stays with my husband, but I’m still her favourite. In a household of men, we stick together!

Cooper may keep Louisa and her family on their toes, but it’s impossible to get mad at him

Cooper came into our lives in December 2019. He is the most laid-back but equally energetic dog I've ever met. A lot of Cooper's development time was spent during lockdown, which was wonderful. He was my little working companion – he would sit on my knee and nap, and now, even though he's almost fully grown, he still does the same! He is a pleasure. He helps to wake up my two young sons every morning. I say: "Go and get the boys", and he runs upstairs and licks them until they get up!

He makes us all smile, every single day

One day, we were practicing recall while on a walk with Cooper. It was going great until he spotted a squirrel and did a complete U-turn and chased after it! Off into the bushes he went. They lead into the woods, so we were all shouting him back, but he didn't come back. The kids were distraught. I retraced the whole of our walk, shouting for him, asking passers-by if they’d seen him. No joy. I headed back to the field and told the kids to go home and wait on the step. I carried on the search, as did my husband, and were both becoming increasingly worried.

My husband called me 30 minutes later. I'd still not found him, nor had he. We both carried on searching, but it was getting dark. Another 20 minutes later my husband called saying, "He's home, he's with the boys". Cooper had come tottering back home, covered in all kinds, with a look on his face as if to say, "Where did you go?". We were over-joyed. We couldn't even be mad at him because of this look he had on his face. He makes us all smile, every single day.

Claude has been through a lot in his short life, so Charlotte always makes sure she gives him enough love to make up for it

Claude has a lovely spoilt life because he’s had so many illnesses since he was a pup, including parvovirus, reactions to injections, SRMA, IMPA, allergies, and various infections caused by the steroid treatment for his immune system illnesses. On top of that, he’s even had a dew claw injury and removal, and now IBS.

Despite all this, Claude is the happiest and loveliest dog, who always cheers us up and keeps us entertained. He’s a sock and underwear thief and such a character.

He also rules the roost, so he does what he wants, when he wants, whether that’s waking up in the morning, or spreading out on the sofa, beds and anywhere else. He also likes to help with gardening, hoovering and any cleaning!

He does what he wants, when he wants